Customer Reviews

The Unforgiven: Utah's Executed Men

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L. Kay Gillespie has done a marvelous job at investigating the lives and circumstances of Utah's executed men. While there might be a tendency to over-dramatize or sensationalize this very intriguing, yet macabre topic, Gillespie presents a very readable, detailed account of these men who were put to death, without completely losing sight of the interesting or weird.

The Unforgiven gives a snapshot of each man executed in Utah. Most of the time, the reader is left wanting more on each of the men Gillespie profiles. That's OK, however. Most of these men and the heinous crimes they committed are enigmatic and leave the average reader wanting to know more, wondering questions like - how could have they done this? What drove them to murder? What was buried in their past? How did they feel about a state that sentenced them to die? What was their family life like? Many of these questions Gillespie economically touches upon. However, to answer all of these questions in depth would take pages and pages, probably books and books. For example, Norman Mailer's "The Executioner's Song" is well over 1,000 pages and it only profiles Utah killer Gary Gilmore.

Granted, the appeal of this book probably doesn't extend much beyond the state of Utah, but it is a good model for how to take a large topic - like every person who has been sentenced to death by the state of Utah- and condense it down into a readable, managable narrative.

Gillespie, while mentioning the idea of a firing squad and its relation to the Mormon belief in blood atonement, doesn't skirt the issue; in fact, he presents it, but doesn't necessarily inject his own belief(s) into the book. This is appreciated. He manages to give objective, competent and well-researched views about the topic without sermonizing or slanting the facts.

Again, any student of Utah history would do well to examine this well-reseached, well-presented book.

Dr. Gillespie has been on the Utah State Board of Pardons, has interviewed most (if not all) of Utah's recent executions (within the last 10-15 years). He tells of experiences -- one in particular when he spent half a day in a cell on death row. It's light but compelling reading -- quick but hooking.

I have the author as a professor in college. It's a quick and good read. He summarizes the stories of the men executed in Utah. Lots of fun!

Dr. Gillespie has captured and brought to us a rare insiders view of death row. Those not particularly intested in this subject will find themselves quickly reading the book. It's not a difficult read and you might learn something while you're at it!